MONTREAL--Oct. 24, 2001-- Mega Bloks�, a global leader in creating fun and educational children's building blocks, continues to win awards for its inspiring and educational children's toys and today announced Shootout Soccer, a tabletop game that allows kids to design and build a soccer stadium before playing foosball-style soccer, was named the number one non-battery toy in the 14th annual Duracell Kids' Choice Toy Survey.
Shootout Soccer also received the prestigious Oppenheim Platinum Award from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, an independent consumer review of children's media.
"Mega Bloks� innovative and educational toys continue to lead the industry and garner praise from parents, kids and trusted toy testers," said Vic Bertrand Jr., COO of Mega Bloks. "Shootout Soccer, which allows kids to design and build a soccer stadium and play foosball-style soccer, is a great example of an interactive building toy that both kids and parents love. Mega Bloks is honored to have it receive such high honors from two of the most respected independent toy reviews."
"One of the most surprising similarities among this year's 'Top 10' is the extent to which - technological advances aside - so many of the toys are updated versions of 'classics' that have appealed to kids for generations," said Julie Creighton, director, Duracell Kids' Choice Toy Survey. "...Shootout Soccer, which invites kids to design their own soccer stadium and then to 'kick' the ball into a goal, represent(s) traditional 'imaginative play' toys that have been enhanced for greater appeal."
Other Mega Bloks toys are racking up prestigious awards in 2001:
-- Respected online toy magazine Dr. Toy named Learning Station one of the best children's products of 2001
-- Dr. Toy chose four Mega Bloks toys as the best vacation products of 2001: the Garden Cart, Wagon, Block Boat and Mega Truck
-- The Mega Truck earned a 2001 Spring Parent's Choice Award from Parents Choice magazine
-- Mega Bloks' RC Action Builder, Build N' Play Castle, Safari Park and Police Station received perfect Three Star ratings from the Canadian Toy Testing Council, a voluntary non-profit charitable organization working for parents since 1952
-- Transforming Timmy won a Gold Seal Oppenheim from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
-- Xtreme Sports Skatecity is a finalist for Family fun magazine's Toy Of The Year award
-- Quebec consumer magazine "Protegez-Vous" rated several Mega Bloks products in their "Jouets 2002" feature for November.
Each year, hundreds of toys are submitted for inclusion in the Duracell Kids' Choice Toy Survey. The Duracell Toy Team, a panel that includes an independent toy industry expert, evaluates each toy against strict criteria. All toys that are selected to be "play tested" must encourage social interaction and creativity, have long-lasting play appeal, recognize, reward and respect the play patterns of both boys and girls, and must not encourage aggressive behavior. Over 700 kids then test these toys at 15 YMCAs nationwide and vote for their favorites. Information on the Survey is available at: http://www.duracell.com/home-f.asp.
Already the world's second-largest maker of building toys, with a number one market share in the preschool segment, Mega Bloks is embarking on its first comprehensive global marketing campaign directed at older children. Airing this fall in the US, England, France, Canada and Australia, the three spot campaign showcases Mega Bloks' award-winning Transforming Blok Bots building toys. The ads feature fantasy scenarios where children create alternate realities using a single building block as the key.
About Mega Bloks
Mega Bloks creates fun, educational and high quality building toys that inspire kids and parents to play and learn together. The world's second largest maker of building toys, Mega Bloks award-winning children's building blocks are sold in over 100 countries. The Mega Bloks system features basic, theme, and licensed construction toys for boys and girls of all ages, and adult collectors. Headquartered in Montreal, Ritvik is a global organization employing over 1000 people with operations in 9 countries. To find out more about Mega Bloks and its products visit the website at: http://www.megabloks.com.
(Mega Bloks� is a trademark of Ritvik Holdings Inc. This trademark may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All other trademarks are sole property of their respective owners.)
